Why is Paul Kanjorski afraid of Lou Barletta?

For Immediate Release Contact: Shawn Kelly
October 15, 2008 shawn@loubarletta.com

Why is Paul Kanjorski afraid of Lou Barletta?
Is Kanjorski afraid to go toe-to-toe with Lou?
Tonight’s event in Monroe County is the latest example
HAZLETON – Vince Galko, manager for the campaign of U.S. Congressional candidate Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, issued the following statement:
Five months ago Mayor Lou Barletta challenged Paul Kanjorski to a series of 11 debates. This would have consisted of six 30-minute issue debates on radio and five public debates – one in each of the five counties of the 11th Congressional District. Paul Kanjorski was not up to the task.
Mayor Barletta said he would drop the radio debate challenge and asked for a debate in each of the five counties of the district. Surely, Paul Kanjorski doesn’t think one county of the district is better than another, so then why not allow each county to host a debate? Paul Kanjorski still couldn’t muster the backbone to do it.
Over the summer, invitations to participate in debates and forums poured into the campaign offices. Everyone from local network television stations to college students to non-profit groups requested debates and forums. Each time, Lou Barletta accepted the challenge, and each time Paul Kanjorski was “too busy.”
Here are three specific examples:
· The Lackawanna Taxpayer Association invited both candidates to debate. Mayor Barletta accepted. Mr. Kanjorski never accepted, so Lou Barletta agreed to do a forum with the group on his own on October 2. Only after Mayor Barletta accepted the October 2 date did Paul Kanjorski contact the group and agree to appear on a separate date – this Thursday, October 16.
· The Center for Independent Living tried to organize of forum on disability issues for October 9. Mayor Barletta agreed. Mr. Kanjorski did not agree and requested time on a separate day.
· The Columbia County Farm Bureau invited the two candidates to a forum on agriculture issues on Saturday, October 11. Mayor Barletta accepted. Mr. Kanjorski did not even reply until the last minute. He sent an aide to sit in for him.
That brings us to tonight – perhaps the saddest example of why we need people with courage and leadership in Washington, D.C. Months ago, the Monroe County Chapter of the NAACP invited both candidates to debate. Mayor Barletta accepted. Mr. Kanjorski strung the organizers along for weeks until finally declining. Then at the last minute, Paul Kanjorski said he will come to the event, but he will not debate Lou Barletta – even though they will both be at the same location at the same time. Instead, Mr. Kanjorski would only appear if there was no debate and he did not have to take the stage with Lou Barletta.
There are other examples of this as well. During the summer, both Lou Barletta and Paul Kanjorski were scheduled to appear at the opening ceremony of Nanticoke’s Heritage Days. When Paul Kanjorski learned that Lou Barletta was going to be there, his staff told the organizers he would not be there and that he would come the next night.
After 24 years in Congress, after raking in more than $150,000 in salary from the taxpayers each year, Paul Kanjorski believes he is better than the people he represents. He doesn’t feel the need to face his constituents or Lou Barletta. His staff says he is “too busy.” Then show us the schedule. Where is Paul Kanjorski over the next 20 days? Why does he think the people of Lackawanna, Monroe, Carbon, and Columbia counties don’t deserve the chance to host a debate?
Some people ask, “How did Congress get a 9 percent approval rating?” The answer is clear – they earned it. The people of northeastern Pennsylvania deserve better – and they will get it in 20 days.”

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Lou Barletta for Congress
8 West Broad Street, Suite 100
Hazleton, PA 18201

Click the link for Lou's website on the left side of this page and donate some money. The hunchback of Nanticoke needs to retire.